NOBLE, Ray

BORN IN MELBOURNE in July 1948, Ray Noble grew up in Richmond in Melbourne’s inner city and started ice skating at the old Melbourne Glaciarium when he was nine. He switched to St Moritz St Kilda in 1957 after the Glaci closed and the Hakoah Ice Hockey Club formed.

Noble was the new club’s mascot for two seasons from age 11. Late at night, he helped prepare the rink’s ice floor to earn free entry passes. He started Reserve-grade hockey in 1961 and played A-grade between 1962 and 1975 with contemporaries such as John Thomas, Kevin Harris, Paul Styles, Don Reddish and Coach Frank Krista.

An apprentice spray painter at Dutton Automotive, the young forward’s development in the game was influenced most by teammates Thomas, Harris and Johnny Nicholas, who won the first President’s Medal (State MVP) in 1954. The Olympian, who was the namesake of the Goodall Cup MVP Trophy, took him under his wing.

After relocating to the Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Oakleigh, Hakoah was State Champion in 1971 and 74 (H H Kleiner trophy). Noble was the 1971 Australian National Club Champion runner-up and the 1974 Australian National Club Champion. The Forward was also the Brown Trophy Champion for Victoria in 1973 and he returned in 74.

Noble scored hat-tricks in the Victorian A-grade. Retiring from competition in 1975 after 176 senior games, he continued to skate at Oakleigh, 65 years after he first began.